Home District Energy News Surplus heat from CO2 capture to become district heating in the capital area of Copenhagen

Surplus heat from CO2 capture to become district heating in the capital area of Copenhagen

by Linda Bertelsen
Avedoerevaerket, Copenhagen

Photo above: The new facility will annually capture 150,000 tons of CO2. Photo @VEKS

Ørsted has entered into an agreement with the two district heating companies, VEKS and CTR, to utilize surplus heat from CO2 capture at the Avedøreværket. The surplus heat can warm 16,000 households in the capital area.

Press Release | 02.02.2024

Avedøreværket in Hvidovre is establishing a CO2 capture facility, annually capturing 150,000 tons of CO2 from the plant’s straw-fired system. The facility uses straw from local fields in Sjælland to generate electricity and heat for the capital area, and the biogenic CO2 from the chimney will be captured and stored from 2026 onwards.

In connection with the upcoming operation of the CO2 capture facility, significant amounts of surplus heat will be generated, which can be utilized to provide affordable, green district heating in the capital area.

“We constantly need to explore opportunities to deliver green and competitive district heating, and I am pleased that we have reached an agreement with our heating customers to utilize the surplus heat from our upcoming CO2 capture. By integrating CO2 capture with the heat production at the plant, we can utilize the energy in the fuel even better and provide affordable, green district heating to the capital while minimizing energy consumption for CO2 capture,” says Ole Thomsen, Senior Vice President and Head of Ørsted’s power plant business.

The energy needed for CO2 capture comes from the plant’s own straw-fired system and will, therefore, be renewable energy. By connecting a heat pump to the facility, the surplus heat from the CO2 capture process and flue gas condensation can be upgraded to district heating, utilizing the same energy twice. This results in greener district heating for the capital area and significantly lower energy consumption for the CO2 capture process.

“The agreement is a crucial and concrete step in VEKS’ transition to future green technologies. It is a good example that district heating is essential to sector coupling while being green, safe, and reasonably priced. We look forward to negotiations on a long-term agreement for the surplus heat from the facility,” emphasizes Steen Christiansen, Chairman of VEKS.

“It is positive that surplus heat from CO2 capture will now be included in the overall heat supply for district heating customers in the Copenhagen area. The future district heating supply should consist of many different heat sources that together can help us continue to offer district heating at an attractive price,” says Line Barfod, Chairperson of CTR.

The CO2 capture facility at the Avedøreværket’s straw-fired boiler will produce approximately 34 MW of surplus heat from the CO2 capture process and approximately 19 MW from the flue gas condensation process. The total 53 MW of surplus heat corresponds to the annual district heating consumption for around 16,000 households.

The agreement between VEKS, CTR, and Ørsted is valid for 2024-2027 and will then be renegotiated for a long-term agreement for the surplus heat from the CO2 capture facility.

Ørsted is also establishing a CO2 capture facility at the Asnæsværket in Kalundborg and is working to find a similar solution with local heat and steam customers so that surplus heat can also be utilized in Kalundborg.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting:

Ørsted Media Relations
Carsten Birkeland Kjær
Phone: +45 9955 7765
Email: cabkj@orsted.com

VEKS
Steen Christiansen, Chairman of VEKS
Phone: +45 4050 8507
Email: steen.christiansen@albertslund.dk

Trine Sannem Mønsted, Vice Director of VEKS
Phone: +45 2618 0292
Email: tsm@veks.dk

CTR
Line Barfod, Chairperson of CTR (Contact via Press Officer Simon Nyborg)
Phone: +45 2152 5160

Randi Skogstad, CEO of CTR
Phone: +45 4188 1881
Email: rask@ctr.dk